Darkness

Rosy

Before he goes, Gregor tells me that it worked, and Harriet should be able to talk to Wolk even if they are all the way out at Homochitto and I am still here in town. That’s nice for Gregor. I know that it will make him feel easier to know that if anything important is happening in town, he can hear about it right away.

I’m not planning to tease him with it, though. I have often given Wolk a silly little message for him, while he is down at the docks and I am at home. I’ll tell Wolk to tell Gregor that I love him, or that I think his eyes are pretty, or that I am looking forward to kissing him later. Or give him an errand to run on the way home. Gregor always tells me how much he enjoys hearing these messages during the day.

But all the way out at Homochitto I think I’ll leave him in peace. He doesn’t need to be hearing nonsense from me. I’ll only disturb him if it’s important.

“Right, Harriet?” I think to her. I hope she agrees.

Nice for Gregor to be able to hear from me, not so nice that I can’t also hear from him. But, he’s the special one, not me, and I have gotten used to that. Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like to be able to know things all the time like he does.

The morning passes quietly. Jake and Ben are doing chores around the house. I am sitting in the kitchen with Nadine while Vernon naps upstairs, chatting while she kneads some bread dough.

Ben comes in from the back, holding a load of firewood for the stove that he has just chopped, and when he is setting it down he drops it with a loud clatter. “Oh, sorry,” he says, and stoops over to straighten the mess. But he pauses, and puts his hand on his forehead.

“Are you all right, Ben?” I ask.

“Yes,” he says shortly, and bends again to reach for the wood.

Nadine frowns, wipes her doughy hands off on her apron, and goes over to him. Without a word she places her palm flat on his forehead. “Why, Ben,” she says in a motherly voice that is half concern and half scolding, “you are hotter than that stove.”

He shrugs, and seems determined to continue working, but she isn’t having it. “Sit down,” she tells him, and rather than argue he just drops down into one of the chairs here at the table.

I look more closely at him, and see that he is sweaty, and wincing, and I’m afraid his complexion is looking a little off, a slight yellow tinge to his skin. “I hate to tell you, Ben,” I say, “but I think you might have yellow fever.” It was inevitable that one of us would get it, now that it is going around town.

“Ugh,” he says. “No I don’t. I’ll be fine.” Men are so stubborn about being sick sometimes.

“Well,” Nadine says in her no-nonsense voice, “you’re not going to be any good to us here today, anyway. You should go check in with Doctor Duncan, he can take care of you.”

Ben rolls his eyes, which I think he regrets because he winces afterwards. Yep, I’m sure this must be yellow fever, one of the first signs is a bad headache.

“At least go on home and rest, Ben,” I tell him. “You’ve done enough today.” He nods, defeated, and I know that he must be feeling pretty rough to have given in so easily.

“Jake,” I say, and he looks up from where he has been leaning against the kitchen counter, watching with concern. “You walk Ben home, make sure he gets there all right. Then why don’t you stop by the mercantile on your way back, I think my mother has an order ready for Nadine.”

He nods, and Ben follows him out the door, already looking like he feels even worse. Nadine and I watch with concern. “That seems to be settling in fast,” I comment. “He seemed fine this morning.”

She says, “That’s how it starts.” She shakes her head and goes back to the bread dough, and I head upstairs. Vernon should be waking up from his nap soon.

It occurs to me as I am walking up the stairs that Gregor would want to know about this. “Harriet,” I think to her, “go ahead and let Gregor and Wolk know that Ben is sick, but tell them he isn’t bad. No need for Gregor to come rushing home or anything.” I assume the message will be relayed.

Well, so much for not bothering him while he’s out at Homochitto.